Embodiments of the present invention generally relate to controlling ingress/egress through entryway devices. More particularly, but not exclusively, embodiments of the present invention relate to attaining confirmation of intent relating to access to a controlled opening(s) as part of an approach to controlling the opening/closing of entryway devices.
Security management systems often utilize a variety of access control devices to control ingress and/or egress through a controlled opening, including, for example, an entryway that can be closed through the use of an entryway device, including, but not limited to, a door or gate. The operation and management of such security management systems typically involves the transmission and/or receipt of certain electronic communications between different credential devices and an access control system. Often, the communications between the credential device and the access control system are generally omni-directional. For example, a mobile credential device may transmit signals containing information relating to authorization to unlock an lock device from a variety of positions relative to a receiving component of the access control system. Further such communication from the credential device may be automatically transmitted in that such communications often do not require specific prompting by a user of the credential device.
Yet, in at least certain situations, the credential device being able to automatically communicate information relating to authorization to pass through the controlled opening does not necessarily correlate to an intent by a user of the credential device to actually pass through a controlled opening. For example, the credential device may pass through a hallway having a plurality of controlled openings and associated lock devices. In certain situations, the presence of the credential device in relative close proximity to the lock device can lead to the credential device automatically communicating to the lock device information corresponding to authorization to unlock lock device and/or to pass through the associated controlled opening. Yet, the presence of the credential device in such a location does necessarily always equate to an intent of a user of the credential device to actually pass through any or all of those controlled openings. Moreover, in at least certain situations, despite the presence or position of the credential device, the actual intent of the user may be that the status(es) of at least one of the access control devices remain unchanged, such as, for example, the access control device(s) remains in a locked state and/or the associated entryway device(s) for the controlled entryway(s) remain closed.
Additionally, the omni-directional nature of at least some credential devices can present issues with determining which side(s) of the controlled opening the credential device is, or is no longer, positioned. For example, the omni-directional nature of communications at least with the credential device may present issues with determining whether the authorized credential device has, or has not, passed through, or is in the process of passing through, the associated controlled opening. For example, often, for at least some systems, following authorization for the lock device to be unlocked, and subsequent opening of the associated entryway device and corresponding passage through the controlled opening, the credential device may continue to communicate to the lock device an intent to pass through the controlled opening and/or a request that the lock device be in an unlocked state. Such continued communication can, in at least certain situations, lead to the lock device continuing to be in an unlocked state and/or leave the controlled opening otherwise susceptible to subsequent passage by unauthorized users, including people who may tailgate or otherwise subsequently follow the authorized credential device through the controlled opening.